When he was eight years old, Amir Hussain Lone lost both his arms in an accident at his family’s saw mill in Indian-administered Kashmir. Now, at 26, he’s mastered cricket and is the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir para-cricket team.
Before the tragedy I had no passion for cricket – it was only afterwards that my love for the sport began. I used to go to our neighbour’s home to watch games because we didn’t have a TV set at home, but then one day, when I was cheering on my favourite cricket players, they turned the TV set off and asked me to leave.
That hurt me. I left, but I still wanted to watch the match. I ended up watching a whole innings from outside, spying through a crack in their window, and it was at that moment that my feelings for cricket crystallised and I pledged that I would play.
I struggled hard to develop my technique, whether it was bowling or holding the bat. Thanks be to God, I have done pretty well.
